Best for Road and Gravel Riding

1. Chrome Helix Handlebar Bag

Chrome Industries has been around since 1995 and is based out of New York City.

The Chrome Helix is a small sized, 3 litres handlebar bag that comes with interior compartments with sleeves for easier organization. It utilizes a hook-and-loop attachment system, making it easy to attach and remove from your handlebars when you need to.

After removing it, you can also use the hideaway strap to carry it across your shoulder, or around your waist. The 1050D nylon material, coupled with the 450D tarp lining makes it a tough and durable bag to have.

2. Timbuk 2 Beacon Handlebar Bag

Timbuk2 is based out of San Francisco and has been around since 1989. Since their inception, they’ve been focusing heavily on bike messenger bags.

The Timbuk 2 Beacon is designed to fit on handlebars of different sizes and weighs 167g. It can double up as a shoulder bag with the shoulder straps being hidden on 2 of the side pockets. It’s made from polyester, which is a waterproof material that keeps your gear and accessories dry in rainy conditions.

It has a capacity of 3 litres, which is just enough to store your essential items such as your mobile phone and some snacks. Velcro tabs and mini-buckles are used to attach it to your handlebar.

2. Ortlieb Handlebar Pack

Ortleib is one of the leading brands in bikepacking bags. So this bag is no exception.

It’s available in 2 sizes; 9 and 15 litres. The larger version is ideal for bikepacking and storing larger accessories.

For a stable and sturdy mount on your handlebar, the Ortleib Handlebar Pack uses drawstrings, compression belts and bungees that secures your load tightly. It attaches to the handlebars using a hook-and-loop straps with spacer meshes to give your bar some clearance.

Balanced weight distribution is brought about by the cylindrical shape of this bag. It’s made from a waterproof material with a highly highly luminous 3M Scotchlite reflectors on its outer surface for extra visibility at night.

3. Rock Bros Waterproof Handlebar Bags

The Rock Bros handlebar bag is a set of two bags, a larger 21 litres roll bag and a smaller, 6 litres bag.

There are plenty of storage room the Rock Bros and they’re ideal to carry light clothes, sleeping bag and some food for multi-day bikepacking and long distance rides.

Mounting is easily achieved through quick-release straps, which can be adjusted. This bag also has reflective logos to keep you visible at night. It’s made from waterproof 600D nylon material that has an innovative seamless design to keep your contents safe.

Best for Commuter and Cruisers

1. Thule Shield Handlebar Bag

Thule is one of the leading names when it comes to bike accessories such as bike racks and bike bags. You can certainly expect a quality product in the Thule Shield.

The Thule Shield is designed with easy access in mind. It has a volume of 10 litres, adequate to store items such as your smartphone, some snacks, a jacket with some space still left.

The main body is made of nylon and rated at IP54, meaning it’s dustproof and water splash resistant. It also has an integrated attachment, which you can use to install a bike headlight for night riding.

2. Tourbon Vintage

The Tourbon Vintage is one of the most stylish handlebars around. It’s made from leather and waterproof waxed canvas, which have a premium quality and a nice finish.

You can choose from 3 different colors; black, khaki and green to match your bike or even bar tape color. You can open it easily for access through the zipper system found on the top side. Installation can be easily achieved through two leather straps.

3. Topeak Tour Guide DX

This is the largest bag Topeak has ever manufactured. It has a volume of 7 litres and weighs 2.7lbs. The outer surface is made from nylon and is completely padded to prevent splashes of water from seeping through the material.

The main compartment is divided for easier organization of accessories. A map can be held close to you by a clear pocket found on the top side of this bag. Whenever you want to travel on foot with this bag, you can use the shoulder strap to carry it across your chest, or the handle to carry it with your hands.

5 Things to Consider Before Buying Handlebar Bags

1. Ease of Access

Handlebar bags come in different design and the same can be said to how to access your contents. Each has their own pros and cons and the type of bag you choose will largely depend on your usage type.

Let’s take a closer look at each access type.

Top Access. These are handlebar bags that open from the top side, making it easier for you to access your items while you’re riding. This is the most common style of access in many handlebar bags. For example, the Chrome Helix the Thule Shield.

Side Access. In this design, the bag either opens from one side (left or right side) or it opens on both sides. Accessing your gear while you’re riding can be tricky at times.

Bag Roll. Most handlebar bags used for bike packing such as the Lezyne Bar Caddy and Ortleib have this design. It is a roll closure system, which is used to store sleeping bags and clothes. Such bags are harnessed to the handlebar for support.

2. Mounting

Mounting refers to how the bag is attached to you bike. Generally, lighter and smaller handlebar bags use straps and those designed for larger load will use mounting brackets as they’re sturdier.

Mounting brackets are attached to your handlebar, giving you a chance to secure your bag sturdily and remove it without altering with the mounting system. For example, the Topeak Tour Guide DX.

3. Capacity

The capacity of handlebar bags ranges from 2 to 20 litres.

Those below 10 litres such as Timbuk 2 Beacon and Tourbon Vintage can be considered small capacity and are usually used in commuter and cruiser bikes to carry small equipment such as smartphones and some snacks.

Larger handlebar bags which a capacity of 10 to 20 litres such as the Ortleib and Topeak Tour Guide DX are used for bike packing and touring to carry larger items such as clothes, sleeping bags and small tarp tents.

4. Material

A large percentage of handlebar bags in the market are made from nylon. This is a synthetic waterproof material, which protects your gear during rainy seasons. It is also a lightweight material that does not exert extraneous weight on your handlebar. Bags made from nylon are very strong and durable.

5. Existing Cockpit Set Up

You should check the cockpit to ensure that a bag will fit perfectly without interfering with your bike’s computer, bell, brake lever and other cables. You can also opt for a strap mounting system that has a holster. It will provide some clearance between the bag and the brake lever.

You should be very keen before mounting a bag on your handlebar. Carbon handlebars are not compatible with large capacity bags that are between 12 to 20 litres. Such bags exert extraneous weight on carbon handlebars and might end up damaging the bars.